The present invention concerns a microcircuit (or microchip) card connector for a card reader, in particular for reading an electronic purse type pocket card.
A pocket card reader of this kind must be of low cost so that it can be marketed on a large scale and must enable the user to verify easily the amount available on their "purse" card.
The problem arises in such readers of connecting the contact areas of the microcircuit carried by the card to the electronic circuit of the reader.
Patents FR 87 15 739 and FR 95 06 854 describe the use for this purpose of connectors comprising brush contacts fastened to an electrically insulative material frame.
DE-A-43 30 017 discloses a microcircuit card reader connector comprising:
a) contacts connected to an electronic circuit and adapted to be connected to contact areas of the microcircuit of the card when the card is inserted in the reader and, PA1 b) an electrically insulative material plate comprising cells each freely receiving a brush contact one end of which projects out of the cell and is adapted to come into contact with a contact area of the microcircuit of the card and whose other end bears and slides on a conductive area of the electronic circuit formed on a printed circuit card pressed against the electrically insulative material plate. PA1 a) contacts connected to an electronic circuit and adapted to be connected to contact areas of the microcircuit of the card when the card is inserted in the reader, and PA1 b) an electrically insulative material plate incorporating cells each receiving a brush contact one end of which projects out of the cell and is adapted to come into contact with a contact area of the microcircuit of the card and whose other end is in contact with a conductive area of the electronic circuit on a printed circuit card pressed against the electrically insulative material plate. PA1 a) contacts connected to an electronic circuit and adapted to be connected to contact areas of the microcircuit of the card when the card is inserted in the reader, and PA1 b) an electrically insulative material plate incorporating cells each freely receiving a brush contact one end of which projects out of the cell and is adapted to come into contact with a contact area of the microcircuit of the card and whose other end is in contact with a conductive area of the electronic circuit on a printed circuit card pressed against the electrically insulative material plate.
WO-A-96 02 892 concerns a microcircuit card reader connector comprising:
The end of the brush contact is adapted to be brazed onto a printed circuit card.
WO-A-95 33 243 shows a microcircuit card reader connector comprising:
The other end of the brush contact is adapted to be pressed elastically against conductive areas of the printed circuit.
The aim of the present invention is to reduce the cost of a connector of the above kind by eliminating all soldering operations for connecting the contact areas of the microcircuit of the card to the contact areas of the electronic circuit of the reader.